Tunda's father-in-law is ‘Emir’ among jail inmates in Kolkata
If Syed Abdul Karim alias Tunda, aged 70 and now arrested, was the kingpin of the Lashkar-e-Taiba terror network in India, his father-in-law Abu Taher alias Mohammed Zakaria, 21 years younger, is ‘Emir’ among terror inmates behind bars in Kolkata.
If Syed Abdul Karim alias Tunda, aged 70 and now arrested, was the kingpin of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror network in India, his father-in-law Abu Taher alias Mohammed Zakaria, 21 years younger, is ‘Emir’ among terror inmates behind bars in Kolkata.
Zakaria, 49, has organised terror inmates — mostly from Bangladesh, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir — and is in charge of their needs, answers their spiritual quests, settles disputes, distributes food among them and solves other problems. However, the jail authorities later intervened and packed off many inmates to other jails.
“It was in 2011 that he first organised all inmates with the terror tag. They selected him their ‘Emir’ in Presidency central jail. He was selected by the LeT, HuJi (Harkat-ul-Jihad al Islami) and all others for his education and leadership capabilities,” said a senior officer of the Kolkata Police.
According to jail sources, there were 12 high-security inmates with the terror tag in Presidency central jail.
“He was the most educated among them. He led a simple life behind bars. This impressed others,” said a jail officer.